Hope Island, a once flood-prone site partly encircled by the Coomera River, is 55 km south-east of Brisbane. It was probably named after Louis Hope, a pioneer sugar-grower, parliamentarian (1862-82) and one-time owner of the island. Treated as marginal farming land, Hope Island became a major land-development location when large-volume dredging removed the risk of flooding. The first development initiative was through the Sanctuary Cove Resort Act 1985, promoted by the late Mike Gore. Since then the Santa Barbara and Boykambil estates have been added to Hope Island.